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García-Hernández AP, Sánchez-Sánchez G, Carlos-Reyes A, López-Camarillo C. Functional roles of microRNAs in vasculogenic mimicry and resistance to therapy in human cancers: an update. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2024:1-14. [PMID: 38712535 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2024.2352484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) alludes to the ability of cancer cells to organize on three-dimensional channel-like structures to obtain nutrients and oxygen. This mechanism confers an aggressive phenotype, metastatic potential, and resistance to chemotherapy resulting in a poor prognosis. Recent studies have been focused on the identification of microRNAs (miRNAs) that regulate the VM representing potential therapeutic targets in cancer. AREAS COVERED An overview of the roles of miRNAs on VM development and their functional relationships with tumor microenvironment. The functions of cancer stem-like cells in VM, and resistance to therapy are also discussed. Moreover, the modulation of VM by natural compounds is explored. The clinical significance of deregulated miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets in tumors showing VM is further highlighted. EXPERT OPINION The miRNAs are regulators of protein-encoding genes involved in VM; however, their specific expression signatures with clinical value in large cohorts of patients have not been established yet. We considered that genomic profiling of miRNAs could be useful to define some hallmarks of tumors such as stemness, drug resistance, and VM in cancer patients. However, additional studies are needed to establish the relevant role of miRNAs as effective therapeutic targets in tumors that have developed VM.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Angeles Carlos-Reyes
- Laboratorio de Onco-Inmunobiología, Departamento de Enfermedades Crónico-Degenerativas, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosio Villegas", Ciudad de México
| | - César López-Camarillo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, Ciudad de México
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Yan C, He L, Ma Y, Cheng J, Shen L, Singla RK, Zhang Y. Establishing and Validating an Innovative Focal Adhesion-Linked Gene Signature for Enhanced Prognostic Assessment in Endometrial Cancer. Reprod Sci 2024:10.1007/s43032-024-01564-1. [PMID: 38653857 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-024-01564-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
Studies have highlighted the significant role of focal adhesion signaling in cancer. Nevertheless, its specific involvement in the pathogenesis of endometrial cancer and its clinical significance remains uncertain. We analyzed TCGA-UCEC and GSE119041 datasets with corresponding clinical data to investigate focal adhesion-related gene expression and their clinical significance. A signature, "FA-riskScore," was developed using LASSO regression in the TCGA cohort and validated in the GSE dataset. The FA-riskScore was compared with four existing models in terms of their prediction performance. We employed univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses towards FA-riskScore to assess its independent prognostic value. A prognostic evaluation nomogram based on our model and clinical indexes was established subsequently. Biological and immune differences between high- and low-risk groups were explored through functional enrichment, PPI network analysis, mutation mining, TME evaluation, and single-cell analysis. Sensitivity tests on commonly targeted drugs were performed on both groups, and Connectivity MAP identified potentially effective molecules for high-risk patients. qRT-PCR validated the expressions of FA-riskScore genes. FA-riskScore, based on FN1, RELN, PARVG, and PTEN, indicated a poorer prognosis for high-risk patients. Compared with published models, FA-riskScore achieved better and more stable performance. High-risk groups exhibited a more challenging TME and suppressive immune status. qRT-PCR showed differential expression in FN1, RELN, and PTEN. Connectivity MAP analysis suggested that BU-239, potassium-canrenoate, and tubocurarine are effective for high-risk patients. This study introduces a novel prognostic model for endometrial cancer and offers insights into focal adhesion's role in cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cuiyin Yan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Leilei He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Yuhui Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Jing Cheng
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, China
| | - Li Shen
- Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence for Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine and Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Rajeev K Singla
- Joint Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence for Critical Care Medicine, Department of Critical Care Medicine and Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, 144411, India.
| | - Yueming Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.
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Qiu Y, Zhang S, Man C, Gong D, Xu Y, Fan Y, Wang X, Zhang W. Advances on Senescence-associated secretory phenotype regulated by circular RNAs in tumors. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 97:102287. [PMID: 38570142 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The components that comprise the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) include growth factors, proteases, chemokines, cytokines, and bioactive lipids. It drives secondary aging and disrupts tissue homeostasis, ultimately leading to tissue repair and regeneration loss. It has a two-way regulatory effect on tumor cells, resisting cancer occurrence and promoting its progression. A category of single-stranded circular non-coding RNA molecules known as circular RNAs (circRNAs) carries out a series of cellular activities, including sequestering miRNAs and modulating gene editing and expression. Research has demonstrated that a large number of circRNAs exhibit aberrant expression in pathological settings, and play a part in the onset and progress of cancer via modulating SASP factors. However, the research related to SASP and circRNAs in tumors is still in its infancy at this stage. This review centers on the bidirectional modulation of SASP and the role of circRNAs in regulating SASP factors across different types of tumors. The aim is to present novel perspectives for the diagnosis and therapeutic management of malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Qiu
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiqi Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Suqian First People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No 120, Suzhi Road, Suqian, Jiangsu 223812, People's Republic of China
| | - Changfeng Man
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Dandan Gong
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Xu
- Laboratory Center, Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu Fan
- Cancer Institute, Affiliated People's Hospital of Jiangsu University, No 8, Dianli Road, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212002, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Suqian First People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No 120, Suzhi Road, Suqian, Jiangsu 223812, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenbo Zhang
- General Surgery Department, Jiangsu University Affiliated People's Hospital, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China.
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Jóźwicka TM, Erdmańska PM, Stachowicz-Karpińska A, Olkiewicz M, Jóźwicki W. Exosomes-Promising Carriers for Regulatory Therapy in Oncology. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:923. [PMID: 38473285 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including exosomes and microvesicles, together with apoptotic bodies form a diverse group of nanoparticles that play a crucial role in intercellular communication, participate in numerous physiological and pathological processes. In the context of cancer, they can allow the transfer of bioactive molecules and genetic material between cancer cells and the surrounding stromal cells, thus promoting such processes as angiogenesis, metastasis, and immune evasion. In this article, we review recent advances in understanding how EVs, especially exosomes, influence tumor progression and modulation of the microenvironment. The key mechanisms include exosomes inducing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, polarizing macrophages toward protumoral phenotypes, and suppressing antitumor immunity. The therapeutic potential of engineered exosomes is highlighted, including their loading with drugs, RNA therapeutics, or tumor antigens to alter the tumor microenvironment. Current techniques for their isolation, characterization, and engineering are discussed. Ongoing challenges include improving exosome loading efficiency, optimizing biodistribution, and enhancing selective cell targeting. Overall, exosomes present promising opportunities to understand tumorigenesis and develop more targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies by exploiting the natural intercellular communication networks in tumors. In the context of oncology, regulatory therapy provides the possibility of reproducing the original conditions that are unfavorable for the existence of the cancer process and may thus be a feasible alternative to population treatments. We also review current access to the technology enabling regulatory intervention in the cancer process using exosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Maria Jóźwicka
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Patrycja Maria Erdmańska
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Stachowicz-Karpińska
- Department of Lung Diseases, Tuberculosis and Sarcoidosis, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Pulmonology Center, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Magdalena Olkiewicz
- Eurecat, Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Unitat de Tecnologia Química, Marcel·lí Domingo 2, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Wojciech Jóźwicki
- Department of Oncology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
- Department of Pathology, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Pulmonology Center, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, Poland
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5
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Benedetti A, Turco C, Gallo E, Daralioti T, Sacconi A, Pulito C, Donzelli S, Tito C, Dragonetti M, Perracchio L, Blandino G, Fazi F, Fontemaggi G. ID4-dependent secretion of VEGFA enhances the invasion capability of breast cancer cells and activates YAP/TAZ via integrin β3-VEGFR2 interaction. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:113. [PMID: 38321003 PMCID: PMC10847507 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06491-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms of breast cancer cell communication underlying cell spreading and metastasis formation is fundamental for developing new therapies. ID4 is a proto-oncogene overexpressed in the basal-like subtype of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), where it promotes angiogenesis, cancer stem cells, and BRACA1 misfunction. Here, we show that ID4 expression in BC cells correlates with the activation of motility pathways and promotes the production of VEGFA, which stimulates the interaction of VEGFR2 and integrin β3 in a paracrine fashion. This interaction induces the downstream focal adhesion pathway favoring migration, invasion, and stress fiber formation. Furthermore, ID4/ VEGFA/ VEGFR2/ integrin β3 signaling stimulates the nuclear translocation and activation of the Hippo pathway member's YAP and TAZ, two critical executors for cancer initiation and progression. Our study provides new insights into the oncogenic roles of ID4 in tumor cell migration and YAP/TAZ pathway activation, suggesting VEGFA/ VEGFR2/ integrin β3 axis as a potential target for BC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Benedetti
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Turco
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Enzo Gallo
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Theodora Daralioti
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Sacconi
- Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Unit, Clinical Trial Center, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Pulito
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Donzelli
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Tito
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology & Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Martina Dragonetti
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Letizia Perracchio
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni Blandino
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Fazi
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic & Orthopaedic Sciences, Section of Histology & Medical Embryology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | - Giulia Fontemaggi
- Translational Oncology Research Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy.
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Sharma S, Ehrlich M, Zhang M, Blobe GC, Henis YI. NRP1 interacts with endoglin and VEGFR2 to modulate VEGF signaling and endothelial cell sprouting. Commun Biol 2024; 7:112. [PMID: 38242992 PMCID: PMC10799020 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-05798-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Endothelial cells express neuropilin 1 (NRP1), endoglin (ENG) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), which regulate VEGF-A-mediated vascular development and angiogenesis. However, the link between complex formation among these receptors with VEGF-A-induced signaling and biology is yet unclear. Here, we quantify surface receptor interactions by IgG-mediated immobilization of one receptor, and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) measurements of the mobility of another coexpressed receptor. We observe stable ENG/NRP1, ENG/VEGFR2, and NRP1/VEGFR2 complexes, which are enhanced by VEGF-A. ENG augments NRP1/VEGFR2 interactions, suggesting formation of tripartite complexes bridged by ENG. Effects on signaling are measured in murine embryonic endothelial cells expressing (MEEC+/+) or lacking (MEEC-/-) ENG, along with NRP1 and/or ENG overexpression or knockdown. We find that optimal VEGF-A-mediated phosphorylation of VEGFR2 and Erk1/2 requires ENG and NRP1. ENG or NRP1 increase VEGF-A-induced sprouting, becoming optimal in cells expressing all three receptors, and both processes are inhibited by a MEK1/2 inhibitor. We propose a model where the maximal potency of VEGF-A involves a tripartite complex where ENG bridges VEGFR2 and NRP1, providing an attractive therapeutic target for modulation of VEGF-A signaling and biological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swati Sharma
- Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Marcelo Ehrlich
- Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Manqi Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Gerard C Blobe
- Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
| | - Yoav I Henis
- Department of Neurobiology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel.
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Vanhaver C, Aboubakar Nana F, Delhez N, Luyckx M, Hirsch T, Bayard A, Houbion C, Dauguet N, Brochier A, van der Bruggen P, Bruger AM. Immunosuppressive low-density neutrophils in the blood of cancer patients display a mature phenotype. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202302332. [PMID: 37931958 PMCID: PMC10628041 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202302332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The presence of human neutrophils in the tumor microenvironment is strongly correlated to poor overall survival. Most previous studies have focused on the immunosuppressive capacities of low-density neutrophils (LDN), also referred to as granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which are elevated in number in the blood of many cancer patients. We observed two types of LDN in the blood of lung cancer and ovarian carcinoma patients: CD45high LDN, which suppressed T-cell proliferation and displayed mature morphology, and CD45low LDN, which were immature and non-suppressive. We simultaneously evaluated the classical normal-density neutrophils (NDN) and, when available, tumor-associated neutrophils. We observed that NDN from cancer patients suppressed T-cell proliferation, and NDN from healthy donors did not, despite few transcriptomic differences. Hence, the immunosuppression mediated by neutrophils in the blood of cancer patients is not dependent on the cells' density but rather on their maturity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Vanhaver
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Frank Aboubakar Nana
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Service de Pneumologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Institut de Recherche Expérimentale et Clinique (IREC)/Pôle de Pneumologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Delhez
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Luyckx
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
- Service de Gynécologie et Andrologie, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
- Centre de Chirurgie Oncologique, Institut Roi Albert II, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thibault Hirsch
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alexandre Bayard
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Camille Houbion
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Nicolas Dauguet
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Alice Brochier
- Hematology Department of Laboratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pierre van der Bruggen
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Annika M Bruger
- https://ror.org/022em3k58 Institut de Duve, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
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Dong W, Zhao H, Xiao S, Zheng L, Fan T, Wang L, Zhang H, Hu Y, Yang J, Wang T, Xiao W. Single-cell RNA-seq analyses inform necroptosis-associated myeloid lineages influence the immune landscape of pancreas cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1263633. [PMID: 38149248 PMCID: PMC10749962 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1263633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tumor-infiltrating myeloid cells (TIMs) are key regulators in tumor progression, but the similarity and distinction of their fundamental properties in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain elusive. Method In this study, we conducted scRNA-seq data analysis of cells from 12 primary tumor (PT) tissues, 4 metastatic (Met) tumor tissues, 3 adjacent normal pancreas tissues (Para), and PBMC samples across 16 PDAC patients, and revealed a heterogeneous TIMs environment in PDAC. Result Systematic comparisons between tumor and non-tumor samples of myeloid lineages identified 10 necroptosis-associated genes upregulated in PDAC tumors compared to 5 upregulated in paratumor or healthy peripheral blood. A novel RTM (resident tissue macrophages), GLUL-SQSTM1- RTM, was found to act as a positive regulator of immunity. Additionally, HSP90AA1+HSP90AB1+ mast cells exhibited pro-immune characteristics, and JAK3+TLR4+ CD16 monocytes were found to be anti-immune. The findings were validated through clinical outcomes and cytokines analyses. Lastly, intercellular network reconstruction supported the associations between the identified novel clusters, cancer cells, and immune cell populations. Conclusion Our analysis comprehensively characterized major myeloid cell lineages and identified three subsets of myeloid-derived cells associated with necroptosis. These findings not only provide a valuable resource for understanding the multi-dimensional characterization of the tumor microenvironment in PDAC but also offer valuable mechanistic insights that can guide the design of effective immuno-oncology treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Dong
- Senior Dept of Oncology, The Fifth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Huixia Zhao
- Dept of Oncology, The Forth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Xiao
- Department of Research and Development (R&D), Hangzhou Repugene Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Liuqing Zheng
- Department of Research and Development (R&D), Hangzhou Repugene Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Tongqiang Fan
- Department of Research and Development (R&D), Hangzhou Repugene Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Research and Development (R&D), Hangzhou Repugene Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - He Zhang
- Dept of Oncology, The Forth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yanyan Hu
- Senior Dept of Oncology, The Fifth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwen Yang
- Senior Dept of Oncology, The Fifth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Research and Development (R&D), Hangzhou Repugene Technology Co., Ltd., Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenhua Xiao
- Senior Dept of Oncology, The Fifth Medical Center of People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, Beijing, China
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9
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Pericoli G, Galardi A, Paolini A, Petrilli LL, Pepe G, Palma A, Colletti M, Ferretti R, Giorda E, Levi Mortera S, Burford A, Carai A, Mastronuzzi A, Mackay A, Putignani L, Jones C, Pascucci L, Peinado H, Helmer-Citterich M, de Billy E, Masotti A, Locatelli F, Di Giannatale A, Vinci M. Inhibition of exosome biogenesis affects cell motility in heterogeneous sub-populations of paediatric-type diffuse high-grade gliomas. Cell Biosci 2023; 13:207. [PMID: 37957701 PMCID: PMC10641969 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-023-01166-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Paediatric-type diffuse High-Grade Gliomas (PDHGG) are highly heterogeneous tumours which include distinct cell sub-populations co-existing within the same tumour mass. We have previously shown that primary patient-derived and optical barcoded single-cell-derived clones function as interconnected networks. Here, we investigated the role of exosomes as a route for inter-clonal communication mediating PDHGG migration and invasion. RESULTS A comprehensive characterisation of seven optical barcoded single-cell-derived clones obtained from two patient-derived cell lines was performed. These analyses highlighted extensive intra-tumour heterogeneity in terms of genetic and transcriptional profiles between clones as well as marked phenotypic differences including distinctive motility patterns. Live single-cell tracking analysis of 3D migration and invasion assays showed that the single-cell-derived clones display a higher speed and longer travelled distance when in co-culture compared to mono-culture conditions. To determine the role of exosomes in PDHGG inter-clonal cross-talks, we isolated exosomes released by different clones and characterised them in terms of marker expression, size and concentration. We demonstrated that exosomes are actively internalized by the cells and that the inhibition of their biogenesis, using the phospholipase inhibitor GW4689, significantly reduced the cell motility in mono-culture and more prominently when the cells from the clones were in co-culture. Analysis of the exosomal miRNAs, performed with a miRNome PCR panel, identified clone-specific miRNAs and a set of miRNA target genes involved in the regulation of cell motility/invasion/migration. These genes were found differentially expressed in co-culture versus mono-culture conditions and their expression levels were significantly modulated upon inhibition of exosome biogenesis. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, our study highlights for the first time a key role for exosomes in the inter-clonal communication in PDHGG and suggests that interfering with the exosome biogenesis pathway may be a valuable strategy to inhibit cell motility and dissemination for these specific diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Pericoli
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Galardi
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Paolini
- Multifactorial and Complex Phenotype Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Lisa Petrilli
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gerardo Pepe
- Department of Biology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Palma
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Colletti
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Ferretti
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Ezio Giorda
- Core Facilities research laboratories, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Levi Mortera
- Multimodal Laboratory Medicine Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Anna Burford
- Department of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Andrea Carai
- Oncological Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Mastronuzzi
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Alan Mackay
- Department of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Lorenza Putignani
- Multimodal Laboratory Medicine Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Chris Jones
- Department of Molecular Pathology, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Luisa Pascucci
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Hector Peinado
- Microenvironment & Metastasis Group, Molecular Oncology Program, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Emmanuel de Billy
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Masotti
- Multifactorial and Complex Phenotype Research Area, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Angela Di Giannatale
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Vinci
- Department of Onco-hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital-IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
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10
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Behnam B, Taghizadeh-Hesary F. Mitochondrial Metabolism: A New Dimension of Personalized Oncology. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4058. [PMID: 37627086 PMCID: PMC10452105 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15164058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Energy is needed by cancer cells to stay alive and communicate with their surroundings. The primary organelles for cellular metabolism and energy synthesis are mitochondria. Researchers recently proved that cancer cells can steal immune cells' mitochondria using nanoscale tubes. This finding demonstrates the dependence of cancer cells on normal cells for their living and function. It also denotes the importance of mitochondria in cancer cells' biology. Emerging evidence has demonstrated how mitochondria are essential for cancer cells to survive in the harsh tumor microenvironments, evade the immune system, obtain more aggressive features, and resist treatments. For instance, functional mitochondria can improve cancer resistance against radiotherapy by scavenging the released reactive oxygen species. Therefore, targeting mitochondria can potentially enhance oncological outcomes, according to this notion. The tumors' responses to anticancer treatments vary, ranging from a complete response to even cancer progression during treatment. Therefore, personalized cancer treatment is of crucial importance. So far, personalized cancer treatment has been based on genomic analysis. Evidence shows that tumors with high mitochondrial content are more resistant to treatment. This paper illustrates how mitochondrial metabolism can participate in cancer resistance to chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. Pretreatment evaluation of mitochondrial metabolism can provide additional information to genomic analysis and can help to improve personalized oncological treatments. This article outlines the importance of mitochondrial metabolism in cancer biology and personalized treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Babak Behnam
- Department of Regulatory Affairs, Amarex Clinical Research, NSF International, Germantown, MD 20874, USA
| | - Farzad Taghizadeh-Hesary
- ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Health Institute, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
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11
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Kar S, Niharika, Roy A, Patra SK. Overexpression of SOX2 Gene by Histone Modifications: SOX2 Enhances Human Prostate and Breast Cancer Progression by Prevention of Apoptosis and Enhancing Cell Proliferation. Oncology 2023; 101:591-608. [PMID: 37549026 DOI: 10.1159/000531195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/09/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION SOX2 plays a crucial role in tumor development, cancer stem cell maintenance, and cancer progression. Mechanisms of SOX2 gene regulation in human breast and prostate cancers are not established yet. METHODS SOX2 expression in prostate and breast cancer tissues and cell lines was determined by qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunochemistry, followed by the investigation of pro-tumorigenic properties like cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis by gene knockdown and treatment with epigenetic modulators and ChIP. RESULTS Prostate and breast cancer tissues showed very high expression of SOX2. All cancer cell lines DU145 and PC3 (prostate) and MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 (breast) exhibited high expression of SOX2. Inhibition of SOX2 drastically decreased cell proliferation and migration. Epigenetic modulators enhanced SOX2 gene expression in both cancer types. DNA methylation pattern in SOX2 promoter could not be appreciably counted for SOX2 overexpression. Activation of SOX2 gene promoter was due to very high deposition of H3K4me3 and H3K9acS10p and drastic decrease of H3K9me3 and H3K27me3. CONCLUSION Histone modification is crucial for the overexpression of SOX2 during tumor development and cancer progression. These findings show the avenue of co-targeting SOX2 and its active epigenetic modifier enzymes to effectively treat aggressive prostate and breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swayamsiddha Kar
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India
| | - Niharika
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India
| | - Ankan Roy
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India
| | - Samir Kumar Patra
- Epigenetics and Cancer Research Laboratory, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Group, Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, India
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12
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Zhang L, Zhang Y, Li X, Gao H, Chen X, Li P. CircRNA-miRNA-VEGFA: an important pathway to regulate cancer pathogenesis. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1049742. [PMID: 37234708 PMCID: PMC10206052 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1049742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers, especially malignant tumors, contribute to high global mortality rates, resulting in great economic burden to society. Many factors are associated with cancer pathogenesis, including vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA) and circular RNAs (circRNA). VEGFA is a pivotal regulator of vascular development such as angiogenesis, which is an important process in cancer development. CircRNAs have covalently closed structures, making them highly stable. CircRNAs are widely distributed and participate in many physiological and pathological processes, including modulating cancer pathogenesis. CircRNAs act as transcriptional regulators of parental genes, microRNA (miRNA)/RNA binding protein (RBP) sponges, protein templates. CircRNAs mainly function via binding to miRNAs. CircRNAs have been shown to influence different diseases such as coronary artery diseases and cancers by regulating VEGFA levels via binding to miRNAs. In this paper, we explored the origin and functional pathways of VEGFA, reviewed the current understanding of circRNA properties and action mechanisms, and summarized the role of circRNAs in regulating VEGFA during cancer pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- *Correspondence: Lei Zhang, ; Peifeng Li,
| | | | | | | | | | - Peifeng Li
- *Correspondence: Lei Zhang, ; Peifeng Li,
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13
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Nisar H, Sanchidrián González PM, Brauny M, Labonté FM, Schmitz C, Roggan MD, Konda B, Hellweg CE. Hypoxia Changes Energy Metabolism and Growth Rate in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092472. [PMID: 37173939 PMCID: PMC10177580 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia occurs in 80% of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cases, leading to treatment resistance. Hypoxia's effects on NSCLC energetics are not well-characterized. We evaluated changes in glucose uptake and lactate production in two NSCLC cell lines under hypoxia in conjunction with growth rate and cell cycle phase distribution. The cell lines A549 (p53 wt) and H358 (p53 null) were incubated under hypoxia (0.1% and 1% O2) or normoxia (20% O2). Glucose and lactate concentrations in supernatants were measured using luminescence assays. Growth kinetics were followed over seven days. Cell nuclei were stained with DAPI and nuclear DNA content was determined by flow cytometry to determine cell cycle phase. Gene expression under hypoxia was determined by RNA sequencing. Glucose uptake and lactate production under hypoxia were greater than under normoxia. They were also significantly greater in A549 compared to H358 cells. Faster energy metabolism in A549 cells was associated with a higher growth rate in comparison to H358 cells under both normoxia and hypoxia. In both cell lines, hypoxia significantly slowed down the growth rate compared to proliferation under normoxic conditions. Hypoxia led to redistribution of cells in the different cycle phases: cells in G1 increased and the G2 population decreased. Glucose uptake and lactate production increase under hypoxia in NSCLC cells indicated greater shunting of glucose into glycolysis rather than into oxidative phosphorylation compared to normoxia, making adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production less efficient. This may explain the redistribution of hypoxic cells in the G1 cell cycle phase and the time increase for cell doubling. Energy metabolism changes were more prominent in faster-growing A549 cells compared to slower-growing H358 cells, indicating possible roles for the p53 status and inherent growth rate of different cancer cells. In both cell lines, genes associated with cell motility, locomotion and migration were upregulated under chronic hypoxia, indicating a strong stimulus to escape hypoxic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Nisar
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
- Department of Medical Sciences, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Nilore, Islamabad 44000, Pakistan
| | | | - Melanie Brauny
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine, Faculty of Science/Faculty of Medicine, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Frederik M Labonté
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Cologne, 50923 Cologne, Germany
| | - Claudia Schmitz
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Marie Denise Roggan
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Bikash Konda
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
| | - Christine E Hellweg
- Department of Radiation Biology, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, German Aerospace Center (DLR), 51147 Cologne, Germany
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14
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Kandjani BZ, Hesari FS, Babaei E. Gemini curcumin inhibits 4T1 cancer cell proliferation and modulates the expression of apoptotic and metastatic genes in Balb/c mice model. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 243:154344. [PMID: 36738519 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the attractive anti-cancer effects, poor solubility and low bioavailability have restricted the clinical application of Curcumin. Recent findings show that Gemini nano-curcumin (Gemini-Cur) significantly improves the cellular uptake of Curcumin and its anti-cancer effect in tumor cells. Here, we aimed to assess the suppressive effect of Gemini-Cur on 4T1 breast cancer cells in vitro and, subsequently, in BALB/c mouse models. MATERIALS AND METHODS Fluorescence microscopy was employed to visualize cellular uptake and morphological changes of 4T1 cells during treatment with Gemini-Cur and void curcumin. MTT and annexin V/FITC assays were performed to study the toxic effect of Gemini-Cur on mouse cancer cells. For in vivo studies, BALB/c tumor-bearing mice were used to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Gemini-Cur in comparison with mice receiving free Curcumin and nanoparticles. RESULTS Our data showed that Gemini-Cur enters the cells and inhibits proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Annexin V/FITC confirmed apoptotic effect on 4T1 cells. In vivo studies also illustrated that tumor growth is suppressed in Gemini-Cur treated mice rather than controls. Expression studies demonstrated the modulation of apoptotic and metastatic genes, including Bax, Bcl-2, MMP-9, VEGF, and COX-2 in treated mice. CONCLUSION In conclusion, these data demonstrate the promising anti-cancer properties of Gemini-Cur on mice models. However, further studies at molecular and cellular levels are required to conclude this therapeutic advantage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behzad Zaker Kandjani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | | | - Esmaeil Babaei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran; Interfaculty Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics (IBMI), University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
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15
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Karimi Dermani F, Datta I, Gholamzadeh Khoei S. MicroRNA-452: a double-edged sword in multiple human cancers. Clin Transl Oncol 2023; 25:1189-1206. [PMID: 36622551 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-03041-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs with important functions in development, cell differentiation, and regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. MiRNA expression is deregulated in various pathological processes including tumorigenesis and cancer progression through various mechanisms including amplification or deletion of miRNA genes, mutations, and epigenetic silencing and defects in the miRNA biogenesis machinery. Several studies have now shown abnormal miRNA profiles and proved their involvement in the initiation and progression of cancer. Since miR-452 has diverse roles (as suppressor or oncogene) in different cellular processes including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), proliferation, migration, and invasion, in this review we highlight a brief overview of the biological function and regulatory mechanism of miR-452 and its involvement as a potential biomarker for diagnosis and treatment of various cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ishwaree Datta
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Saeideh Gholamzadeh Khoei
- Clinical Research Development Unit, Kowsar Hospital, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
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16
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Ervin EH, French R, Chang CH, Pauklin S. Inside the stemness engine: Mechanistic links between deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 87:48-83. [PMID: 36347438 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cell identity is largely determined by its transcriptional profile. In tumour, deregulation of transcription factor expression and/or activity enables cancer cell to acquire a stem-like state characterised by capacity to self-renew, differentiate and form tumours in vivo. These stem-like cancer cells are highly metastatic and therapy resistant, thus warranting a more complete understanding of the molecular mechanisms downstream of the transcription factors that mediate the establishment of stemness state. Here, we review recent research findings that provide a mechanistic link between the commonly deregulated transcription factors and stemness in cancer. In particular, we describe the role of master transcription factors (SOX, OCT4, NANOG, KLF, BRACHYURY, SALL, HOX, FOX and RUNX), signalling-regulated transcription factors (SMAD, β-catenin, YAP, TAZ, AP-1, NOTCH, STAT, GLI, ETS and NF-κB) and unclassified transcription factors (c-MYC, HIF, EMT transcription factors and P53) across diverse tumour types, thereby yielding a comprehensive overview identifying shared downstream targets, highlighting unique mechanisms and discussing complexities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egle-Helene Ervin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
| | - Rhiannon French
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
| | - Chao-Hui Chang
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
| | - Siim Pauklin
- Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7LD, United Kingdom.
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17
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Taghizadeh-Hesary F, Akbari H, Bahadori M, Behnam B. Targeted Anti-Mitochondrial Therapy: The Future of Oncology. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13101728. [PMID: 36292613 PMCID: PMC9602426 DOI: 10.3390/genes13101728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Like living organisms, cancer cells require energy to survive and interact with their environment. Mitochondria are the main organelles for energy production and cellular metabolism. Recently, investigators demonstrated that cancer cells can hijack mitochondria from immune cells. This behavior sheds light on a pivotal piece in the cancer puzzle, the dependence on the normal cells. This article illustrates the benefits of new functional mitochondria for cancer cells that urge them to hijack mitochondria. It describes how functional mitochondria help cancer cells’ survival in the harsh tumor microenvironment, immune evasion, progression, and treatment resistance. Recent evidence has put forward the pivotal role of mitochondria in the metabolism of cancer stem cells (CSCs), the tumor components responsible for cancer recurrence and metastasis. This theory highlights the mitochondria in cancer biology and explains how targeting mitochondria may improve oncological outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzad Taghizadeh-Hesary
- ENT and Head and Neck Research Center and Department, The Five Senses Health Institute, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1445613131, Iran
- Correspondence: or (F.T.-H.); or (B.B.); Tel.: +98-912-608-6713 (F.T.-H.); Tel.: +1-407-920-4420 (B.B.)
| | - Hassan Akbari
- Department of Pathology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran P.O. Box 4739-19395, Iran
- Traditional Medicine School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6559, Iran
| | - Moslem Bahadori
- Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6559, Iran
| | - Babak Behnam
- Department of Regulatory Affairs, Amarex Clinical Research, Germantown, MD 20874, USA
- Correspondence: or (F.T.-H.); or (B.B.); Tel.: +98-912-608-6713 (F.T.-H.); Tel.: +1-407-920-4420 (B.B.)
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18
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Mukherjee S, Sakpal A, Mehrotra M, Phadte P, Rekhi B, Ray P. Homo and Heterotypic Cellular Cross-Talk in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Impart Pro-Tumorigenic Properties through Differential Activation of the Notch3 Pathway. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3365. [PMID: 35884426 PMCID: PMC9319742 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14143365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
An active fluidic microenvironment governs peritoneal metastasis in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but its critical functional/molecular cues are not fully understood. Utilizing co-culture models of NIH3T3 cells (differentially overexpressing Jagged1) and SKOV3 cells expressing a Notch3 luciferase reporter-sensor (SNFT), we showed that incremental expression of Jagged1 led to proportional Notch3 activation in SNFT. With no basal luciferase activity, this system efficiently recorded dose-dependent Notch3 activation by rh-Jag1 peptide and the non-appearance of such induction in co-culture with NIH3T3Δjag1 cells indicates its sensitivity and specificity. Similar Notch3 modulation was shown for the first time in co-cultures with HGSOC patients' ascites-derived cancer-associated fibroblasts and Jagged1-expressing EOC cell lines. NIH3T3J1-A and OVCAR3 co-cultured SNFT cells showed maximum proliferation, invasion, and cisplatin resistance among all the heterotypic/homotypic cellular partners. VEGFA and CDKN1A are the two most upregulated genes identified across co-cultures by the gene profiler array. Co-culture induced VEGFA secretion from SNFT cells which also reduced cancer stem cell differentiation in platinum-resistant A2780 cells. rh-Jag1-peptide promoted enhanced nuclear-cytoplasmic p21 expression. Additionally, metastatic HGSOC tumors had higher VEGFA than corresponding primary tumors. This study thus demonstrates the tumoral and non-tumoral cell-mediated differential Notch3 activation imparting its tumorigenic effects through two critical molecular regulators, VEGFA and p21, during EOC progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souvik Mukherjee
- Imaging Cell Signaling and Therapeutics Lab, Advanced Centre for Training Research and Education in Cancer, Navi Mumbai 410210, India; (S.M.); (A.S.); (M.M.); (P.P.)
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, BARC Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India;
| | - Asmita Sakpal
- Imaging Cell Signaling and Therapeutics Lab, Advanced Centre for Training Research and Education in Cancer, Navi Mumbai 410210, India; (S.M.); (A.S.); (M.M.); (P.P.)
| | - Megha Mehrotra
- Imaging Cell Signaling and Therapeutics Lab, Advanced Centre for Training Research and Education in Cancer, Navi Mumbai 410210, India; (S.M.); (A.S.); (M.M.); (P.P.)
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, BARC Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India;
| | - Pratham Phadte
- Imaging Cell Signaling and Therapeutics Lab, Advanced Centre for Training Research and Education in Cancer, Navi Mumbai 410210, India; (S.M.); (A.S.); (M.M.); (P.P.)
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, BARC Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India;
| | - Bharat Rekhi
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, BARC Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India;
- Tata Memorial Hospital, Dr. E Borges Road, Parel, Mumbai 400012, India
| | - Pritha Ray
- Imaging Cell Signaling and Therapeutics Lab, Advanced Centre for Training Research and Education in Cancer, Navi Mumbai 410210, India; (S.M.); (A.S.); (M.M.); (P.P.)
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, BARC Training School Complex, Anushaktinagar, Mumbai 400094, India;
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19
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Gremlin-1 Promotes Colorectal Cancer Cell Metastasis by Activating ATF6 and Inhibiting ATF4 Pathways. Cells 2022; 11:cells11142136. [PMID: 35883579 PMCID: PMC9324664 DOI: 10.3390/cells11142136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer cell survival, function and fate strongly depend on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteostasis. Although previous studies have implicated the ER stress signaling network in all stages of cancer development, its role in cancer metastasis remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of Gremlin-1 (GREM1), a secreted protein, in the invasion and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells in vitro and in vivo. Firstly, public datasets showed a positive correlation between high expression of GREM1 and a poor prognosis for CRC. Secondly, GREM1 enhanced motility and invasion of CRC cells by epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Thirdly, GREM1 upregulated expression of activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) and downregulated that of ATF4, and modulation of the two key players of the unfolded protein response (UPR) was possibly through activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR and antagonization of BMP2 signaling pathways, respectively. Taken together, our results demonstrate that GREM1 is an invasion-promoting factor via regulation of ATF6 and ATF4 expression in CRC cells, suggesting GREM1 may be a potential pharmacological target for colorectal cancer treatment.
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20
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Wang L, Jin Z, Master RP, Maharjan CK, Carelock ME, Reccoppa TBA, Kim MC, Kolb R, Zhang W. Breast Cancer Stem Cells: Signaling Pathways, Cellular Interactions, and Therapeutic Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:3287. [PMID: 35805056 PMCID: PMC9265870 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) constitute a small population of cells within breast cancer and are characterized by their ability to self-renew, differentiate, and recapitulate the heterogeneity of the tumor. Clinically, BCSCs have been correlated with cancer progression, metastasis, relapse, and drug resistance. The tumorigenic roles of BCSCs have been extensively reviewed and will not be the major focus of the current review. Here, we aim to highlight how the crucial intrinsic signaling pathways regulate the fate of BCSCs, including the Wnt, Notch, Hedgehog, and NF-κB signaling pathways, as well as how different cell populations crosstalk with BCSCs within the TME, including adipocytes, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells. Based on the molecular and cellular activities of BCSCs, we will also summarize the targeting strategies for BCSCs and related clinical trials. This review will highlight that BCSC development in breast cancer is impacted by both BCSC endogenous signaling and external factors in the TME, which provides an insight into how to establish a comprehensively therapeutic strategy to target BCSCs for breast cancer treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
- Immunology Concentration, Biomedical Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Zeng Jin
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
- Cancer Biology Concentration, Biomedical Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Rohan P. Master
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
| | - Chandra K. Maharjan
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
| | - Madison E. Carelock
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
- Cancer Biology Concentration, Biomedical Graduate Program, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Tiffany B. A. Reccoppa
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
- Department of Biology, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Myung-Chul Kim
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
| | - Ryan Kolb
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Weizhou Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; (L.W.); (Z.J.); (R.P.M.); (C.K.M.); (M.E.C.); (T.B.A.R.); (M.-C.K.); (R.K.)
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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21
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Prajapati KS, Shuaib M, Gupta S, Kumar S. Withaferin A mediated changes of miRNA expression in breast cancer-derived mammospheres. Mol Carcinog 2022; 61:876-889. [PMID: 35770722 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease consisting of atypical cell populations that share stem cell-like characteristics associated with therapeutic resistance, disease relapse, and poor clinical outcome. MicroRNAs (miRNA), and small noncoding RNA, are pivotal in the regulation of self-renewal, stemness, and cellular differentiation. Withaferin A (WA), a steroidal lactone, is a major bioactive constituent of Withania somnifera (Solanaceae) known for its anticancer properties. In this study, the effect of WA on modulation of miRNA expression in breast cancer-derived mammosphere was assessed utilizing small RNA sequencing. Treatment with WA inhibited MCF-7 and T47D cells derived mammosphere formation with a significant decrease in CD44, EpCAM, Nanog, OCT4, and SOX2 as markers of self-renewal and stemness. Small RNA sequencing demonstrated a total of 395 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) including 194 upregulated and 201 downregulated miRNAs in WA-treated MCF-7 mammospheres. Bioinformatics analysis utilizing the KEGG pathway, Gene Ontology enrichment, protein-protein, and miRNA-mRNA interaction network identified altered expression in a few hub genes viz. AKT1, PTEN, MYC, CCND1, VEGFA, NOTCH1, and IGFR1 associated with DEMs in WA-treated mammospheres. Further quantitative RT-PCR analysis validated the expression of DEMs including miR-549a-5p, miR-1247-5p, miR-124-5p, miR-137-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-146a-5p, miR-99a-5p, miR-181a-5p, let-7c-5p, and let-7a-5p. In particular, let-7c-5p is designated as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. An increase in miR-let-7c-5p expression was noted after WA treatment, with a simultaneous decrease in CCND1 and c-MYC at mRNA and protein levels. Taken together, our study demonstrated WA-mediated miRNA expression, in particular, upregulation of miR-let-7c-5p, leads to the inhibition of breast cancer cells derived mammospheres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumari Sunita Prajapati
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Signaling & Drug Discovery Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Mohd Shuaib
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Signaling & Drug Discovery Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
| | - Sanjay Gupta
- Department of Urology, Nutrition, Pharmacology and Pathology, The James and Eilleen Dicke Research Laboratory, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Shashank Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Signaling & Drug Discovery Laboratory, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, India
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22
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Transcription factor SNAI2 exerts pro-tumorigenic effects on glioma stem cells via PHLPP2-mediated Akt pathway. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:516. [PMID: 35654777 PMCID: PMC9163135 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-04481-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The current study aimed to investigate the effects associated with SNAI2 on the proliferation of glioma stem cells (GSCs) to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanism in the development of glioma. The expression of Snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2) in glioma tissues was initially predicted via bioinformatics analysis and subsequently confirmed by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), which revealed that SNAI2 was highly expressed in glioma tissues as well as GSCs, with an inverse correlation with overall glioma patient survival detected. Loss- and gain- of-function assays were performed to determine the roles of SNAI2 and pleckstrin homology domain and leucine rich repeat protein phosphatase 2 (PHLPP2) on GSC viability, proliferation and apoptosis. Data were obtained indicating that SNAI2 promoted the proliferation of GSCs, while overexpressed PHLPP2 brought about a contrasting trend. As detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation, RT-qPCR and agarose gel electrophoresis, SNAI2 bound to the promoter region of PHLPP2 and repressed the transcription of PHLPP2 while SNAI2 was found to inhibit PHLPP2 resulting in activation of the Akt pathway. Finally, the roles of SNAI2 and PHLPP2 were verified in glioma growth in nude mice xenografted with tumor. Taken together, the key findings of the present study suggest that SNAI2 may promote the proliferation of GSCs through activation of the Akt pathway by downregulating PHLPP2.
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23
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Wei Z, Zhou H, Fei W, Nie X, Li M. Effect of SOX2 gene on the biological characteristics of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cells. HUA XI KOU QIANG YI XUE ZA ZHI = HUAXI KOUQIANG YIXUE ZAZHI = WEST CHINA JOURNAL OF STOMATOLOGY 2022; 40:341-349. [PMID: 38597017 PMCID: PMC9207786 DOI: 10.7518/hxkq.2022.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to investigate the effect of transfecting SOX2-shRNA vector lentivirus to SACC cell lines on the biological behavior of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC)-LM and SACC-83. METHODS Three types of SOX2-shRNA lentiviral vectors (817, 818, and 819) were constructed and transfected successfully. The shRNA with the best inhibitory effect was screened out and transfected into SACC cells. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expressions of Survivin, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin of SACC-LM and SACC-83. CCK-8 and flow cytometry were used to detect SACC-LM and SACC-83 proliferation and apoptosis. Cell scratch test and Transwell method were used to detect the migration and invasion capabilities of SACC-LM and SACC-83. RESULTS SOX2-shRNA-819 had the best interference effect among the three lentiviruses. After transfecting SOX2-shRNA-819 into SACC-LM and SACC-83, the expressions of SOX2, Survivin, and N-cadherin were significantly reduced, and that of E-cadherin was significantly increased (P<0.05). The cell proliferation ability decreased, and the number of apoptotic cells increased (P<0.05). The cell migration and invasion ability decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS shRNA interference technology reduced SOX2 expression while downregulating Survivin expression. These two expressions may be related. Low SOX2 expression inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of SACC cells and promotes the apoptosis of SACC cells. SOX2 may be involved in the epithelial⁃mesenchymal transition process. This study provided a relevant theoretical basis for targeting SOX2 gene therapy in SACC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuo Wei
- Dept. of Stomatology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China
- School of Stomatology, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China
| | - Hao Zhou
- Dept. of Stomatology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China
| | - Wei Fei
- Dept. of Stomatology, Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, Chengdu 610072, China
- School of Stomatology, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China
| | - Xiong Nie
- School of Stomatology, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China
| | - Mingfang Li
- School of Stomatology, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China
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24
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Dey A, Kundu M, Das S, Jena BC, Mandal M. Understanding the function and regulation of Sox2 for its therapeutic potential in breast cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188692. [PMID: 35122882 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sox family of transcriptional factors play essential functions in development and are implicated in multiple clinical disorders, including cancer. Sox2 being their most prominent member and performing a critical role in reprogramming differentiated adult cells to an embryonic phenotype is frequently upregulated in multiple cancers. High Sox2 levels are detected in breast tumor tissues and correlate with a worse prognosis. In addition, Sox2 expression is connected with resistance to conventional anticancer therapy. Together, it can be said that inhibiting Sox2 expression can reduce the malignant features associated with breast cancer, including invasion, migration, proliferation, stemness, and chemoresistance. This review highlights the critical roles played by the Sox gene family members in initiating or suppressing breast tumor development, while primarily focusing on Sox2 and its role in breast tumor initiation, maintenance, and progression, elucidates the probable mechanisms that control its activity, and puts forward potential therapeutic strategies to inhibit its expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Dey
- Cancer Biology Lab, School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur, West Bengal, India..
| | - Moumita Kundu
- Cancer Biology Lab, School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur, West Bengal, India..
| | - Subhayan Das
- Cancer Biology Lab, School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur, West Bengal, India..
| | - Bikash Chandra Jena
- Cancer Biology Lab, School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur, West Bengal, India..
| | - Mahitosh Mandal
- Cancer Biology Lab, School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur), Kharagpur, West Bengal, India..
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25
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Yao J, Zhang Y, Li M, Sun Z, Liu T, Zhao M, Li Z. Single-Cell RNA-Seq Reveals the Promoting Role of Ferroptosis Tendency During Lung Adenocarcinoma EMT Progression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:822315. [PMID: 35127731 PMCID: PMC8810644 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.822315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and ferroptosis are two important processes in biology. In tumor cells, they are intimately linked. We used single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate the regulatory connection between EMT and ferroptosis tendency in LUAD epithelial cells. We used Seurat to construct the expression matrix using the GEO dataset GSE131907 and extract epithelial cells. We found a positive correlation between the trends of EMT and ferroptosis tendency. Then we used SCENIC to analyze differentially activated transcription factors and constructed a molecular regulatory directed network by causal inference. Some ferroptosis markers (GPX4, SCP2, CAV1) were found to have strong regulatory effects on EMT. Cell communication networks were constructed by iTALK and implied that Ferro_High_EMT_High cells have a higher expression of SDC1, SDC4, and activation of LGALS9-HARVCR2 pathways. By deconvolution of bulk sequencing, the results of CIBERSORTx showed that the co-occurrence of ferroptosis tendency and EMT may lead to tumor metastasis and non-response to immunotherapy. Our findings showed there is a strong correlation between ferroptosis tendency and EMT. Ferroptosis may have a promotive effect on EMT. High propensities of ferroptosis and EMT may lead to poor prognosis and non-response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxi Yao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yuchong Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Mengling Li
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Center of Evidence-Based Medicine, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Zuyu Sun
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Tao Liu
- Department of Urology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Liu, ; Mingfang Zhao, ; Zhi Li,
| | - Mingfang Zhao
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Liu, ; Mingfang Zhao, ; Zhi Li,
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of Medical Oncology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- *Correspondence: Tao Liu, ; Mingfang Zhao, ; Zhi Li,
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26
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ROS Promote Hypoxia-Induced Keratinocyte Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Inducing SOX2 Expression and Subsequent Activation of Wnt/ β-Catenin. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:1084006. [PMID: 35035654 PMCID: PMC8758332 DOI: 10.1155/2022/1084006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
We previously showed that wound-induced hypoxia is related to keratinocyte migration. The ability of keratinocytes within wound healing to undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributes significantly to the acquisition of migratory properties. However, the effect of hypoxia on keratinocyte EMT on wound healing and the potential mechanism are poorly documented. This study first demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) appear to be an essential signalling mediator in keratinocytes with increased EMT and migration subjected to hypoxic conditions. Next, we showed that the expression of sex-determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), a stemness-associated molecule, is ROS-dependent under hypoxia and that SOX2 inhibition in keratinocytes dramatically prevented hypoxia-induced EMT and migration. In addition, β-catenin was found to be a potential molecular target of SOX2, and the activation of Wnt/β-catenin was required for hypoxia-induced EMT and migration. Using an in vitro skin culture model and an in vivo skin wound model, our study further reinforced the critical role of ROS in inducing EMT through SOX2 expression and subsequent activation of Wnt/β-catenin, allowing for rapid reepithelialization of the wound area. Taken together, our findings reveal a previously unknown mechanism by which hypoxia promotes wound healing by promoting reepithelialization through the production of ROS, inducing keratinocyte EMT and migration via the enhancement of SOX2 and activation of Wnt/β-catenin.
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27
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Orlandella FM, Auletta L, Greco A, Zannetti A, Salvatore G. Preclinical Imaging Evaluation of miRNAs' Delivery and Effects in Breast Cancer Mouse Models: A Systematic Review. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:6020. [PMID: 34885130 PMCID: PMC8656589 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13236020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have conducted a systematic review focusing on the advancements in preclinical molecular imaging to study the delivery and therapeutic efficacy of miRNAs in mouse models of breast cancer. METHODS A systematic review of English articles published in peer-reviewed journals using PubMed, EMBASE, BIOSIS™ and Scopus was performed. Search terms included breast cancer, mouse, mice, microRNA(s) and miRNA(s). RESULTS From a total of 2073 records, our final data extraction was from 114 manuscripts. The most frequently used murine genetic background was Balb/C (46.7%). The most frequently used model was the IV metastatic model (46.8%), which was obtained via intravenous injection (68.9%) in the tail vein. Bioluminescence was the most used frequently used tool (64%), and was used as a surrogate for tumor growth for efficacy treatment or for the evaluation of tumorigenicity in miRNA-transfected cells (29.9%); for tracking, evaluation of engraftment and for response to therapy in metastatic models (50.6%). CONCLUSIONS This review provides a systematic and focused analysis of all the information available and related to the imaging protocols with which to test miRNA therapy in an in vivo mice model of breast cancer, and has the purpose of providing an important tool to suggest the best preclinical imaging protocol based on available evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luigi Auletta
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, IBB-CNR, 80145 Naples, Italy; (L.A.); (A.Z.)
| | - Adelaide Greco
- InterDepartmental Center of Veterinary Radiology, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Zannetti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, IBB-CNR, 80145 Naples, Italy; (L.A.); (A.Z.)
| | - Giuliana Salvatore
- IRCCS SDN, 80143 Naples, Italy;
- Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, 80133 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate S.C.A.R.L., 80145 Naples, Italy
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28
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VEGFa/VEGFR2 autocrine and paracrine signaling promotes cervical carcinogenesis via β-catenin and snail. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2021; 142:106122. [PMID: 34826615 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2021.106122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
VEGF secretion into the tumor microenvironment by cancer cells regulates several oncogenic signaling pathways and cancer-regulated angiogenesis. VEGFR receptors are exclusively present on endothelial cells to maintain their biological homeostasis. The acquisition of unique VEGFR2 receptor and VEGFa in cervical cancer (CC) cells reflects VEGFa/VEGFR2 autocrine machinery. Given the critical role of VEGFR2 in endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and angiogenesis, we explored its function in CC epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness. Here we report that VEGFR2 regulates cancer-induced angiogenesis and EMT-linked stemness in CC cells via AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin and Snail pathway. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (RTKi) of VEGFR, Pazopanib (PAZ), shows potential anti-VEGFR2 activity and inhibits VEGFa induced metastatic events such as migration, invasion, and anoikis resistance in CC cells. Similarly, PAZ also attenuates cancer-regulated angiogenesis by inhibiting VE-cadherin internalization in endothelial cells followed by inhibition of endothelial cell migration. Selective depletion of VEGFR2 ligand VEGFa in CC cells also attenuates EMT, metastatic events, and inhibition of cancer-induced angiogenesis. In addition, blocking of VEGFR2 signaling in CC cells via PAZ or shRNA alters the formation of cervical tumorspheres (TS) and their successive generation. Collectively, inhibition of functional VEGFa/VEGFR2 autocrine and paracrine axis ceases the cancer-promoting events in cervical cancer cells. Based on the finding in this study, this oncogenic pathways could be used as a potential therapeutic target in a clinical setting with conventional radio-chemotherapy to achieve synergistic killing of CC cells.
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29
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Segura-Bautista D, Maya-Nunez G, Aguilar-Rojas A, Huerta-Reyes M, Pérez-Solis MA. Contribution of Stemness-linked Transcription Regulators to the Progression of Breast Cancer. Curr Mol Med 2021; 22:766-778. [PMID: 34819003 DOI: 10.2174/1566524021666211124154803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Although there are currently several factors that allow measuring the risk of having breast cancer or predicting its progression, the underlying causes of this malignancy have remained unknown. Several molecular studies have described some mechanisms involved in the progress of breast cancer. These have helped in identifying new targets with therapeutic potential. However, despite the therapeutic strategies implemented from the advances achieved in breast cancer research, a large percentage of patients with breast cancer die due to the spread of malignant cells to other tissues or organs, such as bones and lungs. Therefore, determining the processes that promote the migration of malignant cells remains one of the greatest challenges for oncological research. Several research groups have reported evidence on how the dedifferentiation of tumor cells leads to the acquisition of stemness characteristics, such as invasion, metastasis, the capability to evade the immunological response, and resistance to several cytotoxic drugs. These phenotypic changes have been associated with a complex reprogramming of gene expression in tumor cells during the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Considering the determining role that the transcriptional regulation plays in the expression of the specific characteristics and attributes of breast cancer during ETM, in the present work, we reviewed and analyzed several transcriptional mechanisms that support the mesenchymal phenotype. In the same way, we established the importance of transcription factors with a therapeutic perspective in the progress of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Segura-Bautista
- Medical Research Unit in Reproductive Medicine, UMAE Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia no. 4 'Luis Castelazo-Ayala', Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City. Mexico
| | - Guadalupe Maya-Nunez
- Medical Research Unit in Reproductive Medicine, UMAE Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia no. 4 'Luis Castelazo-Ayala', Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City. Mexico
| | - Arturo Aguilar-Rojas
- Medical Research Unit in Reproductive Medicine, UMAE Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia no. 4 'Luis Castelazo-Ayala', Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City. Mexico
| | - Maira Huerta-Reyes
- Medical Research Unit in Nephrological Diseases, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City. Mexico
| | - Marco Allan Pérez-Solis
- Medical Research Unit in Reproductive Medicine, UMAE Hospital de Gineco Obstetricia no. 4 'Luis Castelazo-Ayala', Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Mexico City. Mexico
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30
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Hu R, Bi R, Jiang L, Yang X, Zhong Y, Xie X. LncRNA TUSC8 suppresses the proliferation and migration of esophageal cancer cells by downregulation of VEGFA. J Cancer 2021; 12:6393-6400. [PMID: 34659529 PMCID: PMC8489135 DOI: 10.7150/jca.57814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to determine the expression pattern of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) TUSC8 in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines, to investigate its effects on esophageal cancer cell proliferation and migration, and to explore the mechanism of TUSC8-mediated esophageal cancer suppression via VEGFA downregulation. Patients and Methods: TUSC8 levels in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The influence of TUSC8 on clinical features in esophageal cancer patients was analyzed. After intervening TUSC8 expression in esophageal cancer cells, the proliferative and migratory abilities were examined in OE19 and TE-1 cells through a series of function experiments. The interaction between TUSC8 and VEGFA was assessed by the bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter assay. Finally, the co-regulation of TUSC8 and VEGFA on esophageal cancer cell functions was evaluated. Results: TUSC8 was downregulated in esophageal cancer tissues compared with normal ones. Identically, decreased TUSC8 expression was detected in esophageal cancer cell lines compared with control cells. Low TUSC8 expression predicted poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. Knockdown of TUSC8 promoted the proliferative and migratory abilities in OE19 cells, whereas overexpression of TUSC8 resulted in opposite results in TE-1 cells. VEGFA was confirmed to be a target gene of TUSC8. Overexpression of VEGFA could reverse the regulatory effects of TUSC8 on esophageal cancer cell proliferation and migration. Conclusions: LncRNA TUSC8 is downregulated in esophageal cancer tissues and cell lines. TUSC8 inhibits the proliferative and migratory abilities in esophageal cancer cells in vitro by negatively regulating VEGFA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Hu
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Rui Bi
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lianyong Jiang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xuhui Yang
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Yuan Zhong
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiao Xie
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200092, China
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31
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Shi X, Luo J, Weigel KJ, Hall SC, Du D, Wu F, Rudolph MC, Zhou H, Young CD, Wang XJ. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Facilitate Squamous Cell Carcinoma Lung Metastasis in Mice by Providing TGFβ-Mediated Cancer Stem Cell Niche. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:668164. [PMID: 34527666 PMCID: PMC8435687 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.668164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have been shown to enhance squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) growth, but it is unclear whether they promote SCC lung metastasis. We generated CAFs from K15.KrasG12D.Smad4-/- mouse SCCs. RNA expression analyses demonstrated that CAFs had enriched transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) signaling compared to normal tissue-associated fibroblasts (NAFs), therefore we assessed how TGFβ-enriched CAFs impact SCC metastasis. We co-injected SCC cells with CAFs to the skin, tail vein, or the lung to mimic sequential steps of lung metastasis. CAFs increased SCC volume only in lung co-transplantations, characterized with increased proliferation and angiogenesis and decreased apoptosis compared to NAF co-transplanted SCCs. These CAF effects were attenuated by a clinically relevant TGFβ receptor inhibitor, suggesting that CAFs facilitated TGFβ-dependent SCC cell seeding and survival in the lung. CAFs also increased tumor volume when co-transplanted to the lung with limiting numbers of SCC cancer stem cells (CSCs). In vitro, CSC sphere formation and invasion were increased either with co-cultured CAFs or with CAF conditioned media (which contains the highest TGFβ1 concentration) and these CAF effects were blocked by TGFβ inhibition. Further, TGFβ activation was higher in primary human oral SCCs with lung metastasis than SCCs without lung metastasis. Similarly, TGFβ activation was detected in the lungs of mice with micrometastasis. Our data suggest that TGFβ-enriched CAFs play a causal role in CSC seeding and expansion in the lung during SCC metastasis, providing a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for SCC lung metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueke Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jingjing Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Kelsey J. Weigel
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Spencer C. Hall
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Danfeng Du
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Fanglong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Michael C. Rudolph
- Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Hongmei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Christian D. Young
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Xiao-Jing Wang
- Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, CO, United States
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Mebed R, Ali YB, Shehata N, El-Guendy N, Gamal N, Zekri AR, Sabet S. Combining Bevacizumab with knocked-down β-catenin reduces VEGF-A and Slug mRNA in HepG2 but not in Caco-2 cell lines. Curr Mol Med 2021; 22:374-383. [PMID: 34429048 DOI: 10.2174/1573405617666210824120618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bevacizumab (Bev) resistance is hypothesized to be overcome by combination with inhibitors of other signalling pathways. OBJECTIVE We aimed to study the effect of combining Bev with knocked down β-catenin (Bev-β-cat-siRNA) on the expression of VEGF-A, Slug, NFКB and its two target genes c-Flip and FasR in HepG2. Expression of VEGF-A and Slug was also studied in Caco-2 cells. METHODS Cultured cells were divided into six groups 1) cells treated with Bev only 2) cells treated with β-catenin-siRNA 3) cells treated with Bev-β-cat-siRNA 4) cells treated with negative control 5) cells treated with Bev-negative control and untreated cells. Expressions were assessed using qPCR and western blotting. RESULTS Bev-β-cat-siRNA significantly reduced the mRNA level of VEGF-A, which was initially increased in response to Bev alone in HepG2 but not in Caco-2. Additionally, Bev-β-cat-siRNA significantly decreased Slug mRNA level compared to Bev only treated HepG2 cells. In contrast, VEGF-A and Slug mRNA levels in Bev only group were remarkably lower than Bev-β-cat-siRNA in Caco-2 cells. Distinct β-catenin and Slug protein expressions were noticed in HepG2 and Caco-2 cells. On the other hand, Bev-β-cat-siRNA remarkably reduced the level of NFКB, FasR and c-Flip compared to Bev only treated HepG2 cells although the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION We conclude that, combining Bevacizumab with knocked down β-catenin reduce the expression of VEGF-A and Slug in HepG2 but not in Caco-2 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reem Mebed
- Chemical control unit, National Organization for Research and Control of Biologicals, Cairo. Egypt
| | - Yasser Bm Ali
- Molecular Biology unit, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, University of Sadat City. Egypt
| | - Nahla Shehata
- Lot release unit, National Organization for Research and Control of Biologicals, Cairo. Egypt
| | - Nadia El-Guendy
- Department of Cancer Biology, National Institute of Cancer, Cairo University. Egypt
| | - Nahla Gamal
- Department of Applied Research, Research & Development Sector, VACSERA, Cairo. Egypt
| | - Abdel-Rahman Zekri
- Department of Cancer Biology, National Institute of Cancer, Cairo University. Egypt
| | - Salwa Sabet
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University. Egypt
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Exosomal lncRNA PVT1/VEGFA Axis Promotes Colon Cancer Metastasis and Stemness by Downregulation of Tumor Suppressor miR-152-3p. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:9959807. [PMID: 34336125 PMCID: PMC8315867 DOI: 10.1155/2021/9959807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Treating advanced colon cancer remains challenging in clinical settings because of the development of drug resistance and distant metastasis. Mechanisms underlying the metastasis of colon cancer are complex and unclear. Methods Computational analysis was performed to determine genes associated with the exosomal long noncoding (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1)/vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) axis in patients with colon cancer. The biological importance of the exosomal lncRNA PVT1/VEGFA axis was examined in vitro by using HCT116 and LoVo cell lines and in vivo by using a patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse model through knockdown (by silencing of PVT1) and overexpression (by adding serum exosomes isolated from patients with distant metastasis (M-exo)). Results The in silico analysis demonstrated that PVT1 overexpression was associated with poor prognosis and increased expression of metastatic markers such as VEGFA and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). This finding was further validated in a small cohort of patients with colon cancer in whom increased PVT1 expression was correlated with colon cancer incidence, disease recurrence, and distant metastasis. M-exo were enriched with PVT1 and VEGFA, and both migratory and invasive abilities of colon cancer cell lines increased when they were cocultured with M-exo. The metastasis-promoting effect was accompanied by increased expression of Twist1, vimentin, and MMP2. M-exo promoted metastasis in PDX mice. In vitro silencing of PVT1 reduced colon tumorigenic properties including migratory, invasive, colony forming, and tumorsphere generation abilities. Further analysis revealed that PVT1, VEGFA, and EGFR interact with and are regulated by miR-152-3p. Increased miR-152-3p expression reduced tumorigenesis, where increased tumorigenesis was observed when miR-152-3p expression was downregulated. Conclusion Exosomal PVT1 promotes colon cancer metastasis through its association with EGFR and VEGFA expression. miR-152-3p targets both PVT1 and VEGFA, and this regulatory pathway can be explored for drug development and as a prognostic biomarker.
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Jin L, Han C, Zhai T, Zhang X, Chen C, Lian L. Circ_0030998 promotes tumor proliferation and angiogenesis by sponging miR-567 to regulate VEGFA in colorectal cancer. Cell Death Discov 2021; 7:160. [PMID: 34226531 PMCID: PMC8257860 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-021-00544-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in pathological processes, especially in the development of cancers, but the roles of circRNAs in CRC are largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role and underlying mechanisms of Circ_0030998 in CRC cell proliferation and angiogenesis. We found that Circ_0030998 was upregulated in CRC tissues and cells, and its upregulation was related to poor prognosis in CRC patients. Circ_0030998 promoted CRC cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and facilitated the angiogenesis of HUVECs. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that Circ_0030998 acted as a miR-567 sponge to relieve its inhibitory effect on VEGFA. Rescue assays validated that Circ_0030998 functioned in CRC cell proliferation and angiogenesis relying on VEGFA. Our findings clarified the Circ_0030998/miR-567/VEGFA regulation axis and indicated that Circ_0030998 could be a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longyang Jin
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chao Han
- Department of General Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Tianyu Zhai
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chun Chen
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Lei Lian
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Lin X, Han L, Gu C, Lai Y, Lai Q, Li Q, He C, Meng Y, Pan L, Liu S, Li A. MiR-452-5p promotes colorectal cancer progression by regulating an ERK/MAPK positive feedback loop. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:7608-7626. [PMID: 33658394 PMCID: PMC7993669 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND MiR-452-5p plays an essential role in the development of a variety of tumors, but little is known about its biological function and mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS The expression levels of miR-452-5p in CRC tissues and cells were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Besides, the biological effects of miR-452-5p on CRC were investigated by functional experiments in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, chromatin immunecipitation assay, western blotting and recovery experiments were implemented to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism. RESULTS The expression level of miR-452-5p was up-regulated in CRC tissues. MiR-452-5p promoted CRC cell proliferation, cell cycle transition and chemoresistance, and inhibited cell apoptosis. Moreover, miR-452-5p directly targeted PKN2 and DUSP6 and subsequently activated the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway, and it was transcriptionally regulated by c-Jun. CONCLUSION To conclude, miR-452-5p expression is up-regulated in CRC, which promotes the progression of CRC by activating the miR-452-5p-PKN2/DUSP6-c-Jun positive feedback loop. These findings indicate that miR-452-5p may act as a potential therapeutic target and clinical response biomarker for CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Han
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Chuncai Gu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yihong Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuhua Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Qingyuan Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Chengcheng He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Meng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Pan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Side Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
| | - Aimin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology, Department of Gastroenterology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
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Abstract
Despite the decline in death rate from breast cancer and recent advances in targeted therapies and combinations for the treatment of metastatic disease, metastatic breast cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer-associated death in U.S. women. The invasion-metastasis cascade involves a number of steps and multitudes of proteins and signaling molecules. The pathways include invasion, intravasation, circulation, extravasation, infiltration into a distant site to form a metastatic niche, and micrometastasis formation in a new environment. Each of these processes is regulated by changes in gene expression. Noncoding RNAs including microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in breast cancer tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis by post-transcriptional regulation of target gene expression. miRNAs can stimulate oncogenesis (oncomiRs), inhibit tumor growth (tumor suppressors or miRsupps), and regulate gene targets in metastasis (metastamiRs). The goal of this review is to summarize some of the key miRNAs that regulate genes and pathways involved in metastatic breast cancer with an emphasis on estrogen receptor α (ERα+) breast cancer. We reviewed the identity, regulation, human breast tumor expression, and reported prognostic significance of miRNAs that have been documented to directly target key genes in pathways, including epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) contributing to the metastatic cascade. We critically evaluated the evidence for metastamiRs and their targets and miRNA regulation of metastasis suppressor genes in breast cancer progression and metastasis. It is clear that our understanding of miRNA regulation of targets in metastasis is incomplete.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belinda J Petri
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA
| | - Carolyn M Klinge
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA.
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Pan G, Liu Y, Shang L, Zhou F, Yang S. EMT-associated microRNAs and their roles in cancer stemness and drug resistance. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2021; 41:199-217. [PMID: 33506604 PMCID: PMC7968884 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) is implicated in a wide array of malignant behaviors of cancers, including proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Most notably, previou studies have indicated that both cancer stem‐like properties and drug resistance were associated with EMT. Furthermore, microRNAs (miRNAs) play a pivotal role in the regulation of EMT phenotype, as a result, some miRNAs impact cancer stemness and drug resistance. Therefore, understanding the relationship between EMT‐associated miRNAs and cancer stemness/drug resistance is beneficial to both basic research and clinical treatment. In this review, we preliminarily looked into the various roles that the EMT‐associated miRNAs play in the stem‐like nature of malignant cells. Then, we reviewed the interaction between EMT‐associated miRNAs and the drug‐resistant complex signaling pathways of multiple cancers including lung cancer, gastric cancer, gynecologic cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, and nasopharyngeal cancer. We finally discussed the relationship between EMT, cancer stemness, and drug resistance, as well as looked forward to the potential applications of miRNA therapy for malignant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangtao Pan
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, P. R. China
| | - Yuhan Liu
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, P. R. China
| | - Luorui Shang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, P. R. China
| | - Fangyuan Zhou
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, P. R. China
| | - Shenglan Yang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 430022, P. R. China
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Yang H, Kuo YH, Smith ZI, Spangler J. Targeting cancer metastasis with antibody therapeutics. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2021; 13:e1698. [PMID: 33463090 DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cancer metastasis, the spread of disease from a primary to a distal site through the circulatory or lymphatic systems, accounts for over 90% of all cancer related deaths. Despite significant progress in the field of cancer therapy in recent years, mortality rates remain dramatically higher for patients with metastatic disease versus those with local or regional disease. Although there is clearly an urgent need to develop drugs that inhibit cancer spread, the overwhelming majority of anticancer therapies that have been developed to date are designed to inhibit tumor growth but fail to address the key stages of the metastatic process: invasion, intravasation, circulation, extravasation, and colonization. There is growing interest in engineering targeted therapeutics, such as antibody drugs, that inhibit various steps in the metastatic cascade. We present an overview of antibody therapeutic approaches, both in the pipeline and in the clinic, that disrupt the essential mechanisms that underlie cancer metastasis. These therapies include classes of antibodies that indirectly target metastasis, including anti-integrin, anticadherin, and immune checkpoint blocking antibodies, as well as monoclonal and bispecific antibodies that are specifically designed to interrupt disease dissemination. Although few antimetastatic antibodies have achieved clinical success to date, there are many promising candidates in various stages of development, and novel targets and approaches are constantly emerging. Collectively, these efforts will enrich our understanding of the molecular drivers of metastasis, and the new strategies that arise promise to have a profound impact on the future of cancer therapeutic development. This article is categorized under: Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huilin Yang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yun-Huai Kuo
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zion I Smith
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jamie Spangler
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Translational Tissue Engineering Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Interplay between p53 and non-coding RNAs in the regulation of EMT in breast cancer. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:17. [PMID: 33414456 PMCID: PMC7791039 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03327-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in the differentiation of vertebrates and is critically important in tumorigenesis. Using this evolutionarily conserved mechanism, cancer cells become drug-resistant and acquire the ability to escape the cytotoxic effect of anti-cancer drugs. In addition, these cells gain invasive features and increased mobility thereby promoting metastases. In this respect, the process of EMT is critical for dissemination of solid tumors including breast cancer. It has been shown that miRNAs are instrumental for the regulation of EMT, where they play both positive and negative roles often as a part of a feed-back loop. Recent studies have highlighted a novel association of p53 and EMT where the mutation status of p53 is critically important for the outcome of this process. Interestingly, p53 has been shown to mediate its effects via the miRNA-dependent mechanism that targets master-regulators of EMT, such as Zeb1/2, Snail, Slug, and Twist1. This regulation often involves interactions of miRNAs with lncRNAs. In this review, we present a detailed overview of miRNA/lncRNA-dependent mechanisms that control interplay between p53 and master-regulators of EMT and their importance for breast cancer.
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Yastrebova MA, Khamidullina AI, Tatarskiy VV, Scherbakov AM. Snail-Family Proteins: Role in Carcinogenesis and Prospects for Antitumor Therapy. Acta Naturae 2021; 13:76-90. [PMID: 33959388 PMCID: PMC8084295 DOI: 10.32607/actanaturae.11062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The review analyzes Snail family proteins, which are transcription factors involved in the regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of tumor cells. We describe the structure of these proteins, their post-translational modification, and the mechanisms of Snail-dependent regulation of genes. The role of Snail proteins in carcinogenesis, invasion, and metastasis is analyzed. Furthermore, we focus on EMT signaling mechanisms involving Snail proteins. Next, we dissect Snail signaling in hypoxia, a condition that complicates anticancer treatment. Finally, we offer classes of chemical compounds capable of down-regulating the transcriptional activity of Snails. Given the important role of Snail proteins in cancer biology and the potential for pharmacological inhibition, Snail family proteins may be considered promising as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. A. Yastrebova
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334 Russia
| | - A. I. Khamidullina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334 Russia
| | - V. V. Tatarskiy
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334 Russia
- Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow, 115478 Russia
| | - A. M. Scherbakov
- Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Moscow, 115478 Russia
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Dang X, Lin H, Li Y, Guo X, Yuan Y, Zhang R, Li X, Chai D, Zuo Y. MicroRNA profiling in BEAS-2B cells exposed to alpha radiation reveals potential biomarkers for malignant cellular transformation. Toxicol Res (Camb) 2020; 9:834-844. [PMID: 33447367 PMCID: PMC7786174 DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfaa094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2020] [Revised: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The carcinogenicity of radon has been convincingly documented through epidemiological studies of underground miners. The risk of lung cancer from radon exposure is due to the continuous radioactive decay of this gas and subsequent emission of high-energy alpha decay particles. And the bronchial epithelial cells are the main targets of radon exposure. However, there is a lack of early warning indicators of lung cancer caused by radon in the physical examination of populations involved in occupations with higher exposure to radon. To assess the potential of a molecular-based marker approach for the early detection of human lung cancer induced by radon, human bronchial epithelial cell injury models induced by alpha-particle irradiation were constructed. The results of transwell migration assay, transwell invasion assay, and the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins showed that malignant cell transformation could be triggered by alpha irradiation. Potential microRNAs (miRNAs) (hsa-miR-3907, hsa-miR-6732-3p, hsa-miR-4788, hsa-miR-5001-5p, and hsa-miR-4257) were screened using miRNA chips in cell models. The pathway analyses of miRNAs selected using DIANA-miRPath v3.0 showed that miRNAs involved in malignant cell transformation were associated with cell adhesion molecules, extracellular matrix receptor interaction, and proteoglycans in cancer, among others, which are closely related to the occurrence and development of carcinogenesis. Reverse Transcription Quantitative Real-Time PCR (RT-qPCR) assay showed that five screened miRNAs were up-regulated in five lung cancer tissue samples. In conclusion, the results indicated that hsa-miR-3907, hsa-miR-6732-3p, hsa-miR-4788, hsa-miR-5001-5p, and hsa-miR-4257 may be potential early markers of the malignant transformation of bronchial epithelial cells induced by alpha-particle irradiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuhong Dang
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Haipeng Lin
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Youchen Li
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Xiuli Guo
- Department of Pathology, Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital, Taiyuan 030013, China
| | - Yayi Yuan
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Ruifeng Zhang
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Xiaozhen Li
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Dongliang Chai
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
| | - Yahui Zuo
- Division of Radiology and Environmental Medicine, China Institute for Radiation Protection, Taiyuan 030006, China
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Li H, Ngan HL, Liu Y, Chan HHY, Poon PHY, Yeung CK, Peng Y, Lam WY, Li BX, He Y, Lui VWY. Comprehensive Exome Analysis of Immunocompetent Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer Models Reveals Patient Relevant Landscapes. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12102935. [PMID: 33053752 PMCID: PMC7601118 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12102935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunocompetent metastatic head and neck cancer (HNC) models, although scarce, can help understanding cancer progression and therapy responses in vivo. Their comprehensive genome characterizations are essential for translational research. We first exome-sequenced the two most widely used spontaneous metastatic immunocompetent models, namely AT-84 and SCC VII, followed by comprehensive genomic analyses with three prior-sequenced models (MOC2, MOC2-10, and 4MOSC2), together with patient tumors for utility assessment. AT-84 and SCC VII bear high HNC tumor resemblance regarding mutational signatures-Trp53, Fanconi anemia, and MAPK and PI3K pathway defects. Collectively, the five models harbor genetic aberrations across 10 cancer hallmarks and 14 signaling pathways and machineries (metabolic, epigenetic, immune evasion), to extents similar in patients. Immune defects in HLA-A (H2-Q10, H2-Q4, H2-Q7, and H2-K1), Pdcd1, Tgfb1, Il2ra, Il12a, Cd40, and Tnfrsf14 are identified. Invasion/metastatic genome analyses first highlight potential druggable ERBB4 and KRAS mutations, for advanced/metastatic oral cavity cancer, as well as known metastasis players (Muc5ac, Trem3, Trp53, and Ttn) frequently captured by all models. Notable immunotherapy and precision druggable targets (Pdcd1, Erbb4, Fgfr1, H/Kras, Jak1, and Map2k2) and three druggable hubs (RTK family, MAPK, and DNA repair pathways) are frequently represented by these models. Immunocompetent metastatic HNC models are worth developing to address therapy- and invasion/metastasis-related questions in host immunity contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Li
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
| | - Hoi-Lam Ngan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
| | - Yuchen Liu
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
| | - Helen Hoi Yin Chan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
| | - Peony Hiu Yan Poon
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
| | - Chun Kit Yeung
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
| | - Yibing Peng
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (Y.P.); (Y.H.)
| | - Wai Yip Lam
- Lee’s Pharmaceutical (HK) Limited, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China; (W.Y.L.); (B.X.L.)
| | - Benjamin Xiaoyi Li
- Lee’s Pharmaceutical (HK) Limited, Hong Kong Science Park, Hong Kong SAR, China; (W.Y.L.); (B.X.L.)
| | - Yukai He
- Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; (Y.P.); (Y.H.)
| | - Vivian Wai Yan Lui
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China; (H.L.); (H.-L.N.); (Y.L.); (H.H.Y.C.); (P.H.Y.P.); (C.K.Y.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +852-3943-5388; Fax: +852-2603-5123
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Siersbæk R, Scabia V, Nagarajan S, Chernukhin I, Papachristou EK, Broome R, Johnston SJ, Joosten SEP, Green AR, Kumar S, Jones J, Omarjee S, Alvarez-Fernandez R, Glont S, Aitken SJ, Kishore K, Cheeseman D, Rakha EA, D'Santos C, Zwart W, Russell A, Brisken C, Carroll JS. IL6/STAT3 Signaling Hijacks Estrogen Receptor α Enhancers to Drive Breast Cancer Metastasis. Cancer Cell 2020; 38:412-423.e9. [PMID: 32679107 PMCID: PMC7116707 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2020] [Accepted: 06/12/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The cytokine interleukin-6 (IL6) and its downstream effector STAT3 constitute a key oncogenic pathway, which has been thought to be functionally connected to estrogen receptor α (ER) in breast cancer. We demonstrate that IL6/STAT3 signaling drives metastasis in ER+ breast cancer independent of ER. STAT3 hijacks a subset of ER enhancers to drive a distinct transcriptional program. Although these enhancers are shared by both STAT3 and ER, IL6/STAT3 activity is refractory to standard ER-targeted therapies. Instead, inhibition of STAT3 activity using the JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib decreases breast cancer invasion in vivo. Therefore, IL6/STAT3 and ER oncogenic pathways are functionally decoupled, highlighting the potential of IL6/STAT3-targeted therapies in ER+ breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmus Siersbæk
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
| | - Valentina Scabia
- ISREC - Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sankari Nagarajan
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Igor Chernukhin
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | | | - Rebecca Broome
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Simon J Johnston
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Stacey E P Joosten
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Andrew R Green
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Sanjeev Kumar
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK; Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Julia Jones
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Soleilmane Omarjee
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | | | - Silvia Glont
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Sarah J Aitken
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK; Department of Histopathology, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK; Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
| | - Kamal Kishore
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Danya Cheeseman
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Emad A Rakha
- Nottingham Breast Cancer Research Centre, Division of Cancer and Stem Cells, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Clive D'Santos
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Wilbert Zwart
- Division of Oncogenomics, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands
| | - Alasdair Russell
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Cathrin Brisken
- ISREC - Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, School of Life Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK.
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Momeny M, Sankanian G, Hamzehlou S, Yousefi H, Esmaeili F, Alishahi Z, Karimi B, Zandi Z, Shamsaiegahkani S, Sabourinejad Z, Kashani B, Nasrollahzadeh A, Mousavipak SH, Mousavi SA, Ghaffari SH. Cediranib, an inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor kinases, inhibits proliferation and invasion of prostate adenocarcinoma cells. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 882:173298. [PMID: 32593665 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Prostate Cancer is the second cause of cancer-related death in men and development of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) is the major reason for its high mortality rate. Despite various treatments, all patients succumb to resistant disease, suggesting that there is a pressing need for novel and more efficacious treatments. Members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family play key roles in the tumorigenesis of mCRPC, indicating that VEGF-targeted therapies may have potential anti-tumor efficacy in this malignancy. However, due to compensatory activation of other family members, clinical trials with single-targeted VEGF inhibitors were discouraging. Here, we determined the anti-neoplastic activity of Cediranib, a pan-VEGF receptor inhibitor, in the mCRPC cell lines. Anti-growth effects of Cediranib were studied by MTT and BrdU cell proliferation assays and crystal violet staining. Annexin V/PI, radiation therapy and cell motility assays were carried out to examine the effects of Cediranib on apoptosis, radio-sensitivity and cell motility. Quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analyses were conducted to determine the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor activity of Cediranib. Cediranib decreased cell viability and induced apoptosis via inhibition of the anti-apoptotic proteins. Combination with Cediranib synergistically increased Docetaxel sensitivity and potentiated the effects of radiation therapy. Furthermore, Cediranib impaired cell motility via decrease in the expression of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers. These findings suggest that Cediranib may have anti-tumor activity in mCRPC cells and warrant further investigation on the therapeutic activity of this pan-VEGF receptor inhibitor in mCRPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majid Momeny
- Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland.
| | - Ghazaleh Sankanian
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sepideh Hamzehlou
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Yousefi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, USA
| | - Fatemeh Esmaeili
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zivar Alishahi
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Behnaz Karimi
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Zandi
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sahar Shamsaiegahkani
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Sabourinejad
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Bahareh Kashani
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Nasrollahzadeh
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyyedeh H Mousavipak
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed A Mousavi
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed H Ghaffari
- Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Hanif M, Arshad J, Astin JW, Rana Z, Zafar A, Movassaghi S, Leung E, Patel K, Söhnel T, Reynisson J, Sarojini V, Rosengren RJ, Jamieson SMF, Hartinger CG. A Multitargeted Approach: Organorhodium Anticancer Agent Based on Vorinostat as a Potent Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202005758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hanif
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Jahanzaib Arshad
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Jonathan W. Astin
- School of Medical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Zohaib Rana
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Otago Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
| | - Ayesha Zafar
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Sanam Movassaghi
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Euphemia Leung
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Kamal Patel
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Tilo Söhnel
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Jóhannes Reynisson
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering Keele University Staffordshire ST5 5BG UK
| | - Vijayalekshmi Sarojini
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Rhonda J. Rosengren
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology University of Otago Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
| | - Stephen M. F. Jamieson
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Christian G. Hartinger
- School of Chemical Sciences University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland 1142 New Zealand
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46
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Functional characterization of SOX2 as an anticancer target. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:135. [PMID: 32728033 PMCID: PMC7391717 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00242-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
SOX2 is a well-characterized pluripotent factor that is essential for stem cell self-renewal, reprogramming, and homeostasis. The cellular levels of SOX2 are precisely regulated by a complicated network at the levels of transcription, post-transcription, and post-translation. In many types of human cancer, SOX2 is dysregulated due to gene amplification and protein overexpression. SOX2 overexpression is associated with poor survival of cancer patients. Mechanistically, SOX2 promotes proliferation, survival, invasion/metastasis, cancer stemness, and drug resistance. SOX2 is, therefore, an attractive anticancer target. However, little progress has been made in the efforts to discover SOX2 inhibitors, largely due to undruggable nature of SOX2 as a transcription factor. In this review, we first briefly introduced SOX2 as a transcription factor, its domain structure, normal physiological functions, and its involvement in human cancers. We next discussed its role in embryonic development and stem cell-renewal. We then mainly focused on three aspects of SOX2: (a) the regulatory mechanisms of SOX2, including how SOX2 level is regulated, and how SOX2 cross-talks with multiple signaling pathways to control growth and survival; (b) the role of SOX2 in tumorigenesis and drug resistance; and (c) current drug discovery efforts on targeting SOX2, and the future perspectives to discover specific SOX2 inhibitors for effective cancer therapy.
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47
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Hanif M, Arshad J, Astin JW, Rana Z, Zafar A, Movassaghi S, Leung E, Patel K, Söhnel T, Reynisson J, Sarojini V, Rosengren RJ, Jamieson SMF, Hartinger CG. A Multitargeted Approach: Organorhodium Anticancer Agent Based on Vorinostat as a Potent Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:14609-14614. [PMID: 32431061 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202005758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The combination of more than one bioactive moiety in a multitargeted anticancer agent may result in synergistic activity of its components. Using this concept, bioorganometallic compounds were designed to feature a metal center, a 2-pyridinecarbothioamide (PCA), and a hydroxamic acid, which is found in the anticancer drug vorinostat (SAHA). The organometallics showed inhibitory activity in the nanomolar range against histone deacetylases (HDACs) as the key target for SAHA. In particular, the Rh complex was a potent inhibitor of HDAC6 over HDAC1 and HDAC8. Whereas this complex was highly cytotoxic in human cancer cells, it showed low toxicity in hemolysis studies and zebrafish, demonstrating the role of the metal center. For this complex a slightly reduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) was established, which was upregulated by SAHA. This finding indicates that the new organometallics display different modes of action than their bioactive components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hanif
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jahanzaib Arshad
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jonathan W Astin
- School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Zohaib Rana
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Ayesha Zafar
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Sanam Movassaghi
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Euphemia Leung
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Kamal Patel
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Tilo Söhnel
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jóhannes Reynisson
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Vijayalekshmi Sarojini
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Rhonda J Rosengren
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Stephen M F Jamieson
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Christian G Hartinger
- School of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
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48
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Oliphant MUJ, Kong D, Zhou H, Lewis MT, Ford HL. Two Sides of the Same Coin: The Role of Developmental pathways and pluripotency factors in normal mammary stem cells and breast cancer metastasis. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 2020; 25:85-102. [PMID: 32323111 PMCID: PMC7395869 DOI: 10.1007/s10911-020-09449-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer initiation and progression are often observed as the result of dysregulation of normal developmental processes and pathways. Studies focused on normal mammary stem/progenitor cell activity have led to an understanding of how breast cancer cells acquire stemness-associated properties including tumor initiation, survival and multi-lineage differentiation into heterogeneous tumors that become difficult to target therapeutically. Importantly, more recent investigations have provided valuable insight into how key developmental regulators can impact multiple phases of metastasis, where they are repurposed to not only promote metastatic phenotypes such as migration, invasion and EMT at the primary site, but also to regulate the survival, initiation and maintenance of metastatic lesions at secondary organs. Herein, we discuss findings that have led to a better understanding of how embryonic and pluripotency factors contribute not only to normal mammary development, but also to metastatic progression. We further examine the therapeutic potential of targeting these developmental pathways, and discuss how a better understanding of compensatory mechanisms, crosstalk between pathways, and novel experimental models could provide critical insight into how we might exploit embryonic and pluripotency regulators to inhibit tumor progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M U J Oliphant
- Integrated Physiology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Ludwig Center at Harvard, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Building C1, Room 513B, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Deguang Kong
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Hengbo Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - M T Lewis
- Departments of Molecular and Cellular Biology and Radiology. Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center, Baylor College of Medicine. One Baylor Plaza BCM600, Room N1210, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - H L Ford
- Integrated Physiology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
- Cancer Biology Program, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, RC1-North, P18-6115, 12800 East 19th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
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49
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Jinesh GG, Brohl AS. The genetic script of metastasis. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:244-266. [PMID: 31663259 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Metastasis is a pivotal event that changes the course of cancers from benign and treatable to malignant and difficult to treat, resulting in the demise of patients. Understanding the genetic control of metastasis is thus crucial to develop efficient and sustainable targeted therapies. Here we discuss the alterations in epigenetic mechanisms, transcription, chromosomal instability, chromosome imprinting, non-coding RNAs, coding RNAs, mutant RNAs, enhancers, G-quadruplexes, and copy number variation to dissect the genetic control of metastasis. We conclude that the genetic control of metastasis is predominantly executed through epithelial to mesenchymal transition and evasion of cell death. We discuss how genetic regulatory mechanisms can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes to achieve sustainable control over cancer metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goodwin G Jinesh
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, U.S.A.,Sarcoma Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, U.S.A
| | - Andrew S Brohl
- Sarcoma Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, U.S.A.,Chemical Biology and Molecular Medicine Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, 33612, U.S.A
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50
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Ilhan M, Kucukkose C, Efe E, Gunyuz ZE, Firatligil B, Dogan H, Ozuysal M, Yalcin-Ozuysal O. Pro-metastatic functions of Notch signaling is mediated by CYR61 in breast cells. Eur J Cell Biol 2020; 99:151070. [PMID: 32005345 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2020.151070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Revised: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Metastasis is the main cause of cancer related deaths, and unfolding the molecular mechanisms underlying metastatic progression is critical for the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Notch is one of the key signaling pathways involved in breast tumorigenesis and metastasis. Notch activation induces pro-metastatic processes such as migration, invasion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, molecular mediators working downstream of Notch in these processes are not fully elucidated. CYR61 is a secreted protein implicated in metastasis, and its inhibition by a monoclonal antibody suppresses metastasis in xenograft breast tumors, indicating the clinical importance of CYR61 targeting. Here, we aimed to investigate whether CYR61 works downstream of Notch in inducing pro-metastatic phenotypes in breast cells. We showed that CYR61 expression is positively regulated by Notch activity in breast cells. Notch1-induced migration, invasion and anchorage independent growth of a normal breast cell line, MCF10A, were abrogated by CYR61 silencing. Furthermore, upregulation of core EMT markers upon Notch1-activation was impaired in the absence of CYR61. However, reduced migration and invasion of highly metastatic cell line, MDA MB 231, cells upon Notch inhibition was not dependent on CYR61 downregulation. In conclusion, we showed that in normal breast cell line MCF10A, CYR61 is a mediator of Notch1-induced pro-metastatic phenotypes partly via induction of EMT. Our results imply CYR61 as a prominent therapeutic candidate for a subpopulation of breast tumors with high Notch activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Ilhan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Cansu Kucukkose
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Eda Efe
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Zehra Elif Gunyuz
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Burcu Firatligil
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Hulya Dogan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Ozuysal
- Department of Computer Engineering, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ozden Yalcin-Ozuysal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir Institute of Technology, 35430, Izmir, Turkey.
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